Another week and yet another attack on social policy by the Archbishop of Canterbury on the summer riots and why, in his opinion, there will be “more outbreaks of future anarchy” unless the Government reaches out to the young.
I know the primary function of the Church of England’s senior cleric is to criticise the government of the day ”“ Robert Runcie and George Carey were no different ”“ but such interventions are becoming futile when the CoE has so little positive to say.
According to Rowan Williams, the disorder was linked to “massive economic hopelessness” and rising levels of youth unemployment will only inflame tensions still further.
Well, we all know about Rowan Williams – he no longer cares – daily he issues an increasing volume of increasingly low quality utterances of increasing tenchancy and pomposity. He no longer bothers including any discernable commection with Christianity, but often seems more interested in a curious mixture of the Hindu view of all religions, including Christianity, as being part of the great tree of faith of god/s found in the worlds religions [Ã la Bede Griffiths and his followers] and lecturing us on Marxist economics.
However, Tom Richmond has some interesting suggestions for the church to consider:
– setting up an extra activity in their parish every week for the young, irrespective of whether the youths concerned were religious or not
– set up mentoring schemes to help the young unemployed gain the skills and confidence that will impress employers?
Of course, many churches are indeed locally doing good work, including some work along these lines, but I think we underestimate our own resources and capacity to influence peoples’ lives in our communities. The churches, with usually a wealth of energy and ability within their congregations are probably in the best position to do this and focus their community and volunteers.
As a national organisation we can be proactive in helping our communities, and so in living our faith, to evangelise others.
Pageantmaster [himself perhaps issuing an increasing volume of increasingly low quality utterances of increasing tenchancy and pomposity]